With dance music event We Are FSTVL set to move from Upminister to Dagenham, we look back at some of the highlights over recent years.

The annual two-day summer festival will be staged in Central Park this September after eight years at Damyns Hall Aerodrome.

Barking and Dagenham Post: We Are FSTVL is due to come to Dagenham in September.We Are FSTVL is due to come to Dagenham in September. (Image: © Andrew Whitton / Fanatic 2017)

Last year, the festival had a very different format to usual as organisers staged a socially-distanced alternative called We Are 500 amid the Covid pandemic.

Shows were to take place each Saturday and Sunday from September 5 to October 4, with events limited to 500 tickets and the crowd in socially distanced bubbles of two to six people.

Barking and Dagenham Post: Craig David rapped, sang and mixed some of his older and new tunes at We Are FSTVL 2019 in London. Picture: Glenn Gratton PhotographyCraig David rapped, sang and mixed some of his older and new tunes at We Are FSTVL 2019 in London. Picture: Glenn Gratton Photography (Image: Archant)

But, after the first two weekends, Havering Council blocked the remaining shows from going ahead because of concerns about rising Covid-19 cases at the time.

Before the pandemic, We Are FSTVL typically took place on the bank holiday weekend at the end of May.

Barking and Dagenham Post: We Are FSTVL goers at the 2017 event in Upminster.We Are FSTVL goers at the 2017 event in Upminster. (Image: © Gobinder Jhitta / Fanatic 2017)

It launched in 2013 and was an immediate success, with the inaugural event winning best new festival at the UK Festival Awards.

It rapidly established itself as a must-attend event for dance music fans, with superstars Carl Cox, Steve Angelo, Gorgon City, Seth Troxler and many more working the decks in 2015.

Barking and Dagenham Post: We Are FSTVL main stageWe Are FSTVL main stage (Image: Copyright © Paul Underhill 2015 www.paulunderhill.com)

We Are FSTVL was crowned best dance event at the UK Festival Awards following the 2016 instalment, which was attended by a number of famous faces including US actress Lindsay Lohan.

Dizzee Rascal, Wiley, Duke Dumont and Armand van Helden were among the popular acts to thrill the crown in 2017.

Barking and Dagenham Post: Dance music fans in the front row at We Are FSTVL in 2017.Dance music fans in the front row at We Are FSTVL in 2017. (Image: © Carolina Faruolo / Fanatic 2017)

The 2018 festival featured more than 300 acts including Jax Jones, Sigma, Carl Cox, as well as Lethal Bizzle and Man’s Not Hot rapper Big Shaq.

In 2019, the legendary DJ EZ - now formally known as Elvin Zedo was joined by the likes of Craig David, Mike Skinner, Majestic, Chase & Status, Basement Jaxx, and local drum and bass artist Andy C and Sigma.

We Are FSTVL is set for Central Park, Dagenham, on September 11 and 12.

Barking and Dagenham Post: Carl Cox at the Techno Warehouse HYTE stage at We Are FSTVL 2018 in Upminster.Carl Cox at the Techno Warehouse HYTE stage at We Are FSTVL 2018 in Upminster. (Image: � Andrew Whitton / Fanatic 2018)

Barking and Dagenham Post: A festival goer getting her face painted at the 2018 event.A festival goer getting her face painted at the 2018 event. (Image: © Andy Hughes / Fanatic 2018)

Barking and Dagenham Post: Terminal 1 - We Are FSTVL. Picture: Richard JohnsonTerminal 1 - We Are FSTVL. Picture: Richard Johnson (Image: © Richard Johnson / Fanatic 2017)

Barking and Dagenham Post: We Are FSTVL is set for Dagenham this yearWe Are FSTVL is set for Dagenham this year (Image: Archant)

Barking and Dagenham Post: The Power Station, We Are Bass at the We Are FSTVL 2018The Power Station, We Are Bass at the We Are FSTVL 2018 (Image: Andrew Whitton)